Thursday, February 23, 2012

my garden - today feb 2012



Today I offer a photo post documenting my garden as it is right now. 
It is late summer in southern Australia and my garden is overflowing with growth.
This is my garden today.

Dahlias and roses.

Hydrangeas, japanese plum and balm of gilead.


Potted tomatoes along the path.

Corn and squash bed.

Thornless blackberries.
Ripening blackberries.

The soon to be chicken run and shed.

Climbing beans, broccoli, beetroot and spinach.

Covered strawberry beds.

Corn bed.

Covered tomato bed.

Espalier apple.

Another apple.

Espalier pear.

Quince.

Myer lemon.

We are aiming to supplement our bought produce with that grown at home.  I don't think we will ever be self-sufficient with our fresh produce but that won't stop us from growing as much of it at home as we can!! 

As well as being organic and fresh it is heaps of fun to see something growing and then to pick and eat it. 

The kids love grazing in the garden too.  They eat heaps of raw fruit and veg during the growing season and that has to be a good thing!



How is you garden growing right now?  What are you picking?


6 comments:

  1. Hi Nona, what am I picking in my garden? Well, I found your blog looking for an apple cordial recipe - I have been picking apples, a bit early, but it is us or the birds. I am in Victoria, maybe we are sooner than Tas for apples?
    Have just about finished the tomatoes (thank goodness) and I harvested all the corn last week - have frozen a bit but am also trying out chiccos, which are a dried Mexican type of corn, supposed to be deicious - we shall see.
    I have enjoyed your blog
    Kathryn

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    1. We too are picking some varieties of apples. I don't think the birds like my cooking apples so they have left them pretty much alone. Your corn sounds interesting. Where did you get the seed? I am soon to strip all the finished plants from the vegie patch and get on to finally building the chook shed. It has to be done before the cold weather!! Thanks for visiting and I hope to see you here again soon.
      ps. you did check out my apple cordial recipe??!! And try the apple butter when you have excess apples. It is so good!
      Nona

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  2. Hi Nona, good luck with your chook house building. I have just made a temporary chook house for my bantams from an old bar fridge on its side, door removed and a bit of ply covering half the door opening to make a cosy nest box. I have put this on a veggie garden I am preparing for garlic, temporary wire fence around. Chooks are doing a good job. I am embarrassed to admit that my corn seed was actually Mr Fothergils from the hardware shop. I live near diggers seeds, but had no time to get heirloom from them, so better mainstream corn than no corn! As it has been sunny for the last few days I have not made it to the kitchen much, but am really looking forward to trying out your cordial recipe. Got to go now, teenage daughter becons (demands!) kathryn

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    Replies
    1. Great ideas for chook boxes! And yes, better mainstream corn than no corn!! Maybe I should admit too that my vegies were all seedings from the local nursery!! You do well to raise your own seed for planting out! Have not got to that type of growing yet!! Happy gardening and cooking.
      ps. So the kids demands don't get any less as they get older?? I was wistfully hoping they would!! :)

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    2. Wistful away Nona, just as demanding, but in different ways. Actually, I would rather that they are demanding of me than want to have nothing to say to me, which can be the danger with teenagers, think there is something to be said for all sitting down together for tea. Anyway, really wanted to let you know that I use seedlings a lot too, again, the rather have something than nothing principle applies. However, I think that corn, beans and peas are definitely easier as seeds, not seedlings. For some reason I don't get great crops of peas, but with corn I have had great success with always putting 3 to 4 seeds in each hole (one for the rook, one for the crow, one for the ?-can't remember- and one to grow) and always plant in blocks, not rows. I always plant pretty close together too, closer than recommended, but maybe in Tassie you may space out further. Corn needs to be in clumps so it can pollinate well. I hope I have not been a know it all and told you stuff you already know, anyway, have a good week. Kathryn

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    3. Yes Kathryn, I see already the importance of coming together as a family for a meal every day. Build those relationships and family traditions now! I will have to try more seed planting next season and not rely so much on seedlings. I am always open to others input. I have heaps to learn!! You have a good week too. Cheers, nona.

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